Improved steering and propelling apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT @tirreno HENRIT KHNE, OF RACINE, VISCONSIN,

IMPROVED STEERING AND PROPELLING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,693, dated June 24, 1869.

To all wwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY KHNE, of Racine, in the county of Racine andState of Viseonsin, have invented a new and useful Iniprovement in Combined Steering and Propelling Apparatus for Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, `in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a combined propelling and steering apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

rlhe object of this invention is to enable sailing-vessels to enter harbors Without the aid of tow-boats, and to provide for the more effective steering of such vessels in 'intricate channels and in all Waters Where the navigation is difficult; and to this end it consists in a certain arrangement, in combination with a screw-propeller placed in the rudder, of a capstan and gearing for working the said propeller, and a lever for shifting the blades of the said propeller to set them at various angles or to bring them parallel with a plane passing longitudinally,centrally, and vertically through the vessel, to prevent them from dragging when it is not desired to use the propeller.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and apply my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the rudder iirmly secured to an upright shaft or post, R, which is fitted to turn in suitable boxes or bearings secured to the stern of the,

vessel,or otherwise attached to the vessel,to allow it to turn on its axis, for the purpose of working the rudder by means of the steeringwheel B. rIhe steering-wheel shaft C may be combined with the post or shaft of the rudder by bevel-gears D E, as shown, or by other suitable means.

F is the screw-propeller applied to the rudder, in which an opening, a a, of suitable form and size, is provided for its reception, and in which bearings are provided for the shaftb of said propeller.

G-is a bevel-gear fitted to turn loosely on the shaftR, and confined between shoulders c d. rIhis gear gears with a bevel-gear, H,

which is fast on the propeller,and abevel-gear, I, which is fast on a horizontal shaft, J, that Works in a suitable iii-board bearing or bearings, e, and through a bearing,f, in the stern, the said shaft J being opposite to the propeller-shaft b, and the said gear I being arranged y The lower end of this lever is connected by a swivel, j,with a rod, T, which passes through .therear portion of the shaft and into the hollow hub of the propeller to connect with the inner ends of pivots formed on the propellerblades to fit into suitable holes provided for them in the hub. The connection of the rod T With the pivots of the blades may be by means of a rack or racks on the said rod and pinions on the pivots, or by any othermeans that Will cause the pivots and blades to be turned by the longitudinal movement of the rod, for the purpose of setting the blades at a desirable angle to the shaft b for propelling and steering, or to bring them parallel with the said shaft and with the plane of the rudder when it is not desired to use the propeller. The part of the lever above the fulcrum t is curved toward the rudder-post, that the upper end may be brought within reach ofthe persons on board of the vessel for the purpose of adjusting the blades.

On the vessel entering a harbor or upon the navigation of intricate channels,or on arrival in any waters or underany circumstances in which the navigation of the vessel is difficult, the propeller has its blades adjusted at a desirable angle to the propeller-shaft I), and the propeller F is set in operation by turning the capstan K, at which all hands on board not of necessity otherwise engaged may be employed. The rudder is then operated in the usual manner. and the propeller F not only acts to propel and keep Steerage-way on the vessel, but in the steering of the vessel by the ordinary opera- What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is@- The combination of the screw-propeller F, arranged in the rudder,aud having adjustable blades, the eapstau K, shafts L J, gearing M N I G H, and lever S, the whole applied and arranged substantially as herein set forth.

HENRY KHNE.'

Vitnesses:

S. W. SPAFORD, GHR. FOUNTANN. 

